Welcome to Africanews

Please select your experience

Watch Live

News

news

US embassy interviews 'terrorist' baby after travel error

US embassy interviews 'terrorist' baby after travel error

United Kingdom

A three month old baby had to face United States authorities in London after an error was made by his grandfather while applying for a visa to Florida last week.

The grandfather, 62-year-old Paul Kenyon, while filling baby Harvey’s form online, mistakenly answered “Yes” in the field that asked: “Do you seek to engage in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage, or genocide?” reported British news portal Daily Star.

The suspected baby terrorist was summoned to the embassy for an interview.

“I couldn’t believe that they couldn’t see it was a genuine mistake and that a three-month-old baby would be no harm to anyone,” said grandpa Paul Kenyon.
They had to spend 10 hours and an extra £3,000 ($3,800) for travel, questioning and re-booking from their home in Poynton, in the southeastern English town of Cheshire, to the embassy in London.

“Baby Harvey was good as gold for the interview and never cried once. I thought about taking him along in an orange jumpsuit, but thought better of it … They didn’t appear to have a sense of humor over it at all and couldn’t see the funny side,” Daily Star quoted Kenyon.

“He’s obviously never engaged in genocide, or espionage, but he has sabotaged quite a few nappies in his time, though I didn’t tell them that at the US embassy,” he joked.

The United States is one of the most sensitive countries when it comes to terrorism threats.

In January 2016, 4 men were kicked off an American Airlines flight for looking “too Muslim”.

View more